Texas A&M's Elston Turner (31) is congratulated by Kourtney Roberson late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas A&M at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. Turner scored 40 points as Texas A&M won 83-71. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Texas A&M's Elston Turner, right, looks for an opening against Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Photo By Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Texas A&M guard Elston Turner (31) drives between Oklahoma forward Andrew Fitzgerald (4) and guard Buddy Hield (3) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the All College Classic tournament in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. Oklahoma won 64-54. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Photo By Michael Thomas/Associated Press

Texas guard Jonathan Holmes, center, tries to control the rebound against Texas A&M center Keith Davis, right, and Elston Turner, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Austin, Texas. Texas won 61-51. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 18: Elston Turner #31 of Texas A&M Aggies drives the ball against Nurideen Lindsey #10 of the St. John's Red Storm during the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches Vs Cancer at Madison Square Garden on November 18, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) (Getty)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 18: Elston Turner #31 of Texas A&M Aggies drives the ball against Nurideen Lindsey #10 of the St. John's Red Storm during the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches Vs Cancer at Madison Square Garden on November 18, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) (Getty)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 18: Elston Turner #31 of Texas A&M Aggies drives the ball against Phil Greene #1 of the St. John's Red Storm during the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches Vs Cancer at Madison Square Garden on November 18, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) (Getty)

Kansas State's Rodney McGruder looks for a pass against Texas A&M's Elston Turner, middle, and David Loubeau during the first half at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday, February 4, 2012, in Manhattan, Kansas. K-State pulled out a 64-53 victory. (Travis Heying/Wichita Eagle/MCT) (McClatchy-Tribune News Service)

Photo By AP

Kansas guard Elijah Johnson (15) shoots under pressure from Texas A&M guard Elston Turner (31) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big 12 Conference tournament, Thursday, March 8, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo.

Photo By Associated Press

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor (10) gets past Texas A&M guard Elston Turner (31) to put up a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Big 12 Conference tournament on Thursday, March 8, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. Kansas won the game 83-66. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Photo By AP

Oklahoma forward Romero Osby (24) goes to the basket in between Texas A&M's Elston Turner, left, and Khris Middleton, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, March 3, 2012. Oklahoma won 65-62.

Photo By AP

Missouri's Matt Pressey (3) tries to steal the ball from Texas A&M's Elston Turner (31) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in College Station, Texas.

Photo By Pat Sullivan/Associated Press

Texas A&M's Elston Turner, center, takes control of the ball as Texas' Jaylen Bond, left, and Jonathan Holmes give chase in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Photo By Associated Press/L.G. Patterson

Missouri's Kim English, right, looks for help after he dribbled by Texas A&M's Elston Turner, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 70-51.

Photo By Associated Press/L.G. Patterson

Missouri's Phil Pressey, left, passes the ball behind Texas A&M's Naji Hibbert (2) as Elston Turner, right rear, helps on defense during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 70-51.

Photo By Associated Press/L.G. Patterson

Texas A&M's Elston Turner, left, shoots over Missouri's Steve Moore, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 70-51.

Photo By JERRY LARA/Express-News

Texas A&M guard Elston Turner reacts to a travel call as University of Texas forward Alexis Wangmene defends during the first half at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. JERRY LARA/glara@express-news.net

Photo By JERRY LARA/Express-News

University of Texas guard Julien Lewis, left, and Texas A&M gaurd Elston Turner scramble for the ball during the first half at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. JERRY LARA/glara@express-news.net

Photo By Michael Thomas/Associated Press

Texas guard Jonathan Holmes (center) tries to control the rebound against Texas A&M center Keith Davis (right) and Elston Turner (left) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, in Austin. Texas won 61-51.

Photo By AP

Texas A&M's Elston Turner (31) shoots over Louisiana-Monroe's Charles Wilborne (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in College Station, Texas.

Photo By Associated Press

Texas A&M's Elston Turner (31) shoots the ball over Stephen F. Austin defender Hal Bateman (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in College Station. Texas A&M won 55-42.

Photo By AP

St. John's' Sir'Dominic Pointer (15) shoots over Texas A&M's Elston Turner (31) and David Loubeau (10) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game during the consolation round of the 2K Sports Classic, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Texas A&M won the game 58-57.

COLLEGE STATION — Elston Turner Jr.'s eyes grew wide as a youngster while venturing onto the hardwood of such storied basketball venues as New York's Madison Square Garden, but it was all part of his duty. The oft-sweet duty of being the son of a longtime NBA assistant coach.

“I've been around,” said a smiling Turner, Texas A&M's senior leader.

That's why his eyes kept their normal size when he strolled onto the court of historic Rupp Arena last Saturday and wound up dropping 40 points on Kentucky in the Aggies' stunning 83-71 victory over the defending national champions.

“He just has a great feel for how to play,” A&M coach Billy Kennedy said of Turner's hoops roots.

Elston Turner Sr. played in the NBA and has spent much of the past two decades as an assistant (now with the Phoenix Suns).

“He understands basketball at another level than most guys,” Kennedy said of the younger Turner, who honed his game at Missouri City's Elkins High.

Turner Jr., who began his college career at Washington before transferring to A&M, became the third player (joining LSU's Chris Jackson and Navy's David Robinson) to score at least 40 points against Kentucky in Rupp Arena.

“He's not afraid of any of the venues we go in, he's been everywhere with his dad,” Kennedy said, smiling. “Going into Kentucky was just another game for him.”

Now, the surprising Aggies (12-3, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) are playing host to what is certainly not “just another game” at 6 tonight in Reed Arena, as No. 10 Florida (12-2, 2-0) comes calling in A&M's first marquee SEC home game.

And Elston Turner Sr., as he always does, will either watch the game live or via DVD, depending on the Suns' schedule. The elder Turner, born in Tennessee, led Ole Miss to its first NCAA tournament berth in 1981 when he was a senior.

“When I heard A&M was making the transition to the SEC, I was happy,” the father said. “I'm an SEC guy, so I thought that was special.”

Now, the son, also a senior, will try and lead the Aggies to their first NCAA tournament as SEC members, after participating in the NCAA postseason in the Big 12 from 2006-11. A victory tonight would go a long way toward that goal for A&M. It would lift the program to a 3-0 league start after losing to Southern and struggling in wins against Army and Houston Baptist prior to SEC play.

“We can play with anybody,” said Turner Jr., who's third in the SEC with 17 points per game. “You can just see a difference from the beginning of the season to where we are now.”

Meanwhile, his father, a perfectionist who continually works with his son on his game, if only often by phone, saw a different player against the Wildcats, when Turner became the first Aggie to score at least 40 points in a game since Don Marbury in 1985.

“He was just in a flow,” Turner Sr. said. “He had the green light, and he was just relaxed. He's always going to play the game the right way, because that's the way I taught him to play. And he can really shoot the ball.”

Coach Billy Donovan, whose Florida program visits Aggieland for the first time since 1992, won't argue.

“He scored 40 points on 19 shots,” Donovan said of Turner's 14 baskets against Kentucky. “That's the sign of a very efficient offensive player.”